A Force of Nature
by DC111
Summary: ...Sonic couldn't help but wonder why no one else explored the world like he did. It was a grand waste of opportunity. As the sun finally finished its steady, smooth descent, he joined the day in its slumber, allowing his eyelids to slide shut.


**This is not part of any of my stories, nor is it even very long. I was seized by a flash of inspiration, and I became immersed in it and simply had to turn it into something. I also tried a different, more majestic style of storytelling than what you'd expect from me; let me know if it worked. Like I said in my author's note at the end of _Hold On Tight_, I thoroughly enjoyed typing a Sonic-centered oneshot and would be putting up more in the future. Well, I'm following through with that here. ****Although it is short (ridiculously so, admittedly) I think I did a fairly nice job with it, and captured Sonic's outlook of life pretty well. Let me know if it worked; I appreciate reviews, including constructive criticism.****  
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**Also, happy (late) birthday to Sonic the Hedgehog! This would've been up on the 23****rd****, seeing as how I typed it a few weeks ago, but FFN was being stubborn and giving me error messages for some unknown reason. Nevertheless, here it is now.**

**Enjoy.**

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_A Force of Nature_

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In the midst of a bright, multicolored sunset, a tree leaned precariously over the edge of a cliff. Straight though it once was, erosion had begun to take its toll, and the rock beneath the dirt was threatening to collapse.

Saturating the tree's branches were tiny buds; an indicator of a newer, warmer season. They illuminated the tree like a candle in a dark room, drawing attention to the otherwise austere sight so that it not only stuck out literally, but also figuratively. The bark was almost as smooth as marble, its color that of rich dark chocolate.

To someone close enough to witness it, the sight would look, in a word, contradicting. The tree, vibrant and shimmering and indifferent, tilted over an abyss of emptiness that ultimately lead to solid and uninteresting ground. One would wonder: how could such a miracle of nature face death so imminent and unyielding and… boring?

A gust of wind, invisible yet powerful, forced itself between the branches and blossoms, causing them to rustle and tangle with each other. The sounds caused by said gust floated majestically and calmly through the air, unheard by all those who were so unfortunately out of earshot of this simple natural process.

Only one living, breathing being was present. To everyone else in the world, that moment in time and space was lost forever, because that process would never exactly replicate itself again.

Eyes as effervescently green as the blooming buds opened, taking in the view. Those eyes, sparkling with life yet still as calm as the rolling hills of sand dunes, had no trouble seeing the wonderful sights beyond; the soon-to-be leaves were not near enough to adulthood to hinder his view. The air continued to manipulate the environment, drying out those emerald orbs to the point of blinking.

The green irises belonged to a spirit just as free as that magnificent wind; an individual going by the simple name of Sonic.

One branch on the leaning tree jutted out particularly far over the vast chasm, and it was this branch that was the hedgehog's current place of residence, its sturdiness more than enough to support the fairly light mortal. Being more dense than large, though, it was somewhat thin. One less coordinated might have long since slipped off and fallen into the void below.

Such trivial matters did not faze Sonic, however. Gloved hands were laced behind his head rather than tightly gripping onto his support. Although he wasn't smiling, he was far from unhappy. In his mind, outward revelation of emotion was utterly pointless when he was alone. Why not let those facial muscles, so frequently used, relax briefly? They were of no use, anyway, when no souls were around to see his expression.

He drew in a leisurely, easy breath. It turned into a yawn at its climax, and he exhaled it in a sigh, releasing it into the atmosphere. Physical need satisfied, he fell still again; so still that he could feel his heart beat thudding gently against the walls of his body.

Where he was geographically, he was utterly clueless. As a drifter, though, he didn't much mind. With speed capabilities as ridiculously high as his, it would not take him long to find his way back home… whatever that word meant to him. All he knew was that he was witnessing an incredible sunset, its radiant light casting a pink-orange glow on everything he could see.

His gaze slid downwards. The sight of the forest, hundreds of feet below his elevation, did not bother him. The constantly obvious fact that only a branch separated him from this certain death also failed to frighten; if he were to slip – a slim yet possible chance – his reflexes would be more than fast enough to save him. Even if they weren't, he would certainly find a way to cross that road if he came to it.

Sitting up in that tree like it was no less comfortable than a sofa, Sonic began to contemplate. He wondered to himself when his lifestyle had turned into this, turned into him getting lost until something satisfied him enough for him to return. He wondered why nobody else did what he did. It was a grand waste of opportunity. As the sun finally finished its steady, smooth descent, he joined the day in its slumber, allowing his eyelids to slide shut.

Then he woke up from that relaxing and splendid dream, slid off Tails's roof, and landed on the ground with ridiculous ease. He stretched his muscles, stiff from sleep, and rubbed the night out of his eyes. A mere minute later, he felt completely alive, ready for the new day to begin. The sun had been reborn, and so too was he.

No hesitation hindered him; Sonic rushed forward, like a force of nature. The wind peeled at his face and pulled at his eyelids, almost burning, before finally succumbing and allowing him to pass through, splitting the sound barrier down the middle. Though he had no wings and he was entirely on the ground, he was flying.

The world was a huge place. Everything in his dreams, he mused, was possible in reality. With that adventurous thought in mind, he was off to find that glorious cliff before it was too late. If he didn't hurry, that tree would surrender to erosion, and the opportunity would be gone forever.


End file.
